Hot Comb Hair
You don't have to go to a salon to have your curly hair straightened on a regular basis if you learn to hot comb hair at home. A few hair clips, a metal hot comb and heat source are all you need to straighten hair yourself.
Steps
- You can use a little of a light oil such as coconut oil to prevent burning of the hair root.
- Comb all the tangles out of your hair. Use a regular plastic-tooth comb and make sure you can run it through your hair from root to tip without resistance before you begin.
- Separate your hair into small sections no larger than 2 inches (5 cm) thick. If your metal hot comb is larger or smaller, you can adjust the size of each section, making sure the hair easily fits through the comb. Keep each section together with a hair clip.
- Heat up your hot comb.
- If you bought a hot iron comb product, use the electric heater or cord that came with it. To heat a hot comb on a stove top, hold it over a medium flame until it is hot to the touch.
- Test the metal hot comb before you use it by setting it on a paper towel. If the towel turns brown, your hot comb straightener is too hot and will damage your hair. Let it cool and test it again before using it in your hair
- Straighten your hair.
- Remove a clip at the back of your head. Give that hair section a quick comb-through with a normal plastic-tooth comb before using the hot metal comb. This prevents getting the hot comb stuck in your hair.
- Hold the section of hair at the nape of your neck with one hand.
- Use the other to gently pull the comb all the way from the root through the ends of the hair in one quick motion. Start as close to the roots as you can without burning your scalp. Avoid keeping the hot iron comb in one spot for too long, or you could scald your hair.
- Continue hot combing, working your way from the back of your head to the front.
- Warm the hot comb back up after running it through your hair a few times. Place it back on the burner, but remember that it is already slightly hot so it won't take as long to warm back up.
- Remember to test the comb on a white paper towel each time you heat it up to make sure it isn't too hot for your hair.
- Use a sheen spray after hot combing the hair to improve the look.
Tips
- Use a hot comb on textured, curly hair to straighten it. A hot comb will only damage hair that is already straight.
- Hot combs can damage skin on ears, foreheads and your scalp very quickly. If you don't want to take the chance of burning your skin, purchase a curling iron/hot comb protector kit. Kits are available with ear, neck and face shields that protect the skin from the hot hair iron.
- If you're staying in a motel and think you won't have a heat source, think outside the box. Use the clothes iron or hot plate on the coffee maker to heat your hot comb.
Warnings
- Avoid using the hot comb on tangled hair. If extra time is required to get the tangles out of your hair with the hot comb, the heat can damage your hair.
- If you use a straightening hot comb too often you can damage your hair.
Things You'll Need
- Plastic-tooth comb
- Hair clips
- Metal hot comb
- Stove or warming source
- Paper towel
- Light oil - coconut oil ,argan oil
